Capri
by agrainne24
Summary: Nikola's had a nightmare...memories are awoken and Helen has a surpise for him! My final contribution to the Teslen Olympic fanfic relay!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! Here is my final oneshot for the Olympic challenge. I want to apologise for how late I am in posting this. To cut a long story short, 2 weeks ago I went to England for a visit. I was to bring my USB key with me to upload the story the next day as it turned out I had forgotten to pack it, *facepalm*. So Tashah2109 told me not to worry and that I could post it the following Monday when I got back. However, I still can't find the thing and had to write another story. It's taking me this long because work and RL interfered! So again my apologises and I hope you like this. Emmy1512 is next and will be writing around Poseidon, god of water and horses. Emmy will be posting ASAP because of my lateness! So you get two stories this week instead of one, yay! **

**I was given the task of writing around Artemis, god of hunting and childbirth. Enjoy xx**

**Capri**

The Island of Capri near Naples – May 2014

In Belvedere di Tragara.

_The fog had descended over London very fast tonight. Nikola could not see so much as his hand in front of his face. He knew in order to return to his hotel he needed to place one foot in front of the other and carry on. He did not like the feeling of being out of control nor did he like the ominous vibe he was getting from the city tonight. Something was about to occur of that he was certain. He could feel eyes on the back of his neck and he shivered. Even with his abilities he could not for the life of him pinpoint where that someone was situated. He continued to walk across London until he recognised the Whitechapel area. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement and heard a snigger, one that made his blood run cold. He knew that snigger. He would know it anywhere; it was so often directed at him at Oxford. Druitt. He was here, why? A moment later, a woman's voice rang out "It ends here, John." Oh no, Helen! Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream sliced through the air. Nikola sprang into action. Helen was in danger. He was running but he couldn't see anything in the fog! He must get to Helen before it's too late!_

"_Nooooooo Helen! Where are you?!" _

_Again the snigger rang out. This time accompanied by John's voice. "She is mine now, Tesla. She will never be yours!" There was a loud crack and a flash of red and…_

Nikola awoke from his nightmare with a start. He was shaking from head to toe. The nightmare had been too realistic for his liking. Looking across to his bed companion he breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe and it had never happened. As if to reassure himself of the fact he reached across and stroked her cheek ever so softly. She stirred a little at the touch and let out a contented sigh. His Helen was happy and all was right again in his world. He decided to get up and go for a walk to clear his head and his heart of the foreboding that was still clinging to it in a vice like grip.

'Going for a walk' in Nikola's book meant a walk to the kitchen to get last night's bottle of wine out of the larder. After the nightmare he felt it was needed. He would never admit to anyone especially Helen how much that nightmare had shaken him.

Armed with his glass of red Nikola found his way on to the veranda. The view from here was spectacular in the early morning light. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon and it spilt a myriad of colour across the ocean. The dawn chorus sung its morning welcome as the rest of the island began to come to life. Standing still he closed his eyes and let the sun and the birdsong soothe his soul. His mind would not let him rest however, as thoughts of time gone by began to unfold before his eyes. It seemed every mistake he had made in relation to Helen was determined to make itself known just to torture him. The nightmare had brought to the surface his carefully buried fears that Helen would someday realise that she made a mistake in starting a relationship with him.

He and Helen had always a flirtatious banter ingrained within their friendship. Though he would have liked to have pursued a relationship he was also afraid of her possible rejection. She on the other hand, he knew, grew comfortable with nipping the innuendos and salacious remarks in the bud. All with a smile and an exasperated shake of her head. His fear meant he could stay close to Helen and be her friend without openly admitting his deep rooted feelings or if he did it was always tempered with a suggestive remark and a waggle of his eyebrows he knew she would dismiss as Nikola not being terribly serious. He would then breathe a sigh of relief because the admission didn't mean he would lose her as she didn't feel the same. She for instance, did not think him serious when he declared he loved her in Rome. Granted he, in his excitement at the rebirth of his race, almost killed her because she would not join him. Added to that excitement was the adrenaline he felt coursing through his veins just for being in her presence again after sixty long years. He was drunk on love. That was his excuse. It was after Rome that their flirtatious back and forth had reasserted itself. Out of necessity on his part. He needed to be around her, he had to be around her. So, he devised little schemes of genius in order to get her attention and to show her, in his imitable way, that he loved her still. So on rolled his hare brained schemes, narrowly averting disaster at times thanks to Helen's considerable intelligence and quick thinking. His Mexican clinic for latent vampires involving his billionaire Trust Fund 'patients' quickly came to mind; oh yeah that went real smooth! Helen could barely look at him after that. As these memories played out before his eyes, Nikola got increasingly angry with himself. He could not fathom how or why Helen stuck by him after all his antics and selfishness. Of one thing he was certain, he'd spend every day of the rest of their lives ensuring she knew just how much he loved and adored her. This decision he reached as he turned back into the house. He had forgotten the instance in SCIU headquarters at Area 51 where he had saved Henry from certain death and had secretly given Helen all the information she'd need to fight SCIU on an even keel. Thus turning Helen's affection for him into something more. Something like love. Though he was not to realise this until later. If he had remembered this he would have seen that he had redeemed himself in Helen's eye and there was no need for the anger he felt towards himself in that moment.

Helen woke to find Nikola gone. This in itself was not unusual; he very rarely needed sleep thanks to his vampiric DNA. What disturbed her was the fact that she knew he had fallen asleep last night, why then was he gone from their bed so early? Constant questions flitted through her mind as she pondered his whereabouts. They had only arrived in Capri last night and Nikola had never been there before. Not because she didn't want him here but for the fact that life had gotten a little crazy since the old Sanctuary had been blown up and of course she had to be careful about being seen topside now that she was supposed to be dead; buried in the rubble of her home. Capri was perfect for this reason hidden away as it was. This morning she had planned a surprise for him. She smiled at the thought of his reaction.

Walking into the kitchen she found him seated at the table sipping a glass of wine and reading today's newspaper. Helen smiled at the domesticity of the scene before her. Though she would never dare voice that opinion to him!

"Good morning, Nikola."

"Helen!" A smile of delight graced Nikola's face as he saw her. He crossed the room in seconds and gathering her in his arms; he kissed her fiercely.

"Oh! What on earth was that for?" Helen was a little shell shocked and weak at the knees, if she owned the truth, at the welcome.

"Nothing. Just that I love you."

"I love you too."

They stood together in each other's arms until Helen broke contact and looked at him, a question in her eyes. With a quirk of his eyebrow he silently asked her what the question was.

"What's your plan for the day?"

"Oh nothing much, drinking wine and spending lots of time with you!"

Helen laughed at him. There was nothing subtle about the way he said those words.

"Good because I have something to show you. And before you say anything, she told him as she saw him open his mouth to respond, it is not anything remotely suggestive!"

"Aw I'm a little disappointed already!"

"Oh I've a feeling you might be biting back those words very soon, Nikola. Follow me." Helen asked of him as she turned and left the room.

"Put this over your eyes, Nikola. I don't want you peeking and spoiling all my fun!" Helen said handing him a blindfold as they arrived at an old oak door. One that looked strangely familiar to Nikola though he couldn't figure out why.

"As the lady wishes". Nikola answered causing Helen to roll her eyes affectionately at his theatrics.

"Ready?" Receiving a nod of his head Helen opened the door.

A cacophony of smells hit Nikola's nostrils as the door swung open. He was sure he had died and gone to heaven. Even from under the blindfold Nikola knew they had entered a cellar. He could practically taste the wine on his tongue. Breathing in deeply he took in his surroundings. All at once it hit him. She never…she couldn't have…how?

As Nikola swung around and tore the blindfold from his eyes, Helen dissolved into laughter at the look of shock on his face. He was standing in the old Sanctuary cellar. It was the very same right down to the last brick and wine rack.

"Helen, how have you done this? _When _did you do this?" Nikola could not keep the incredulity he felt from seeping into his voice.

"I have had years of planning this, Nikola, remember? And what are paid contractors for? I had everything dismantled and shipped here before Caleb and his Hollow Earth cohorts paid me that final visit. Now I have a hunt of sorts for you. There is another surprise hidden among the racks. Let's see how long it takes you to find it."

Helen looked on amused as Nikola wound his way between the racks. Occasionally he would stop, breathe in and almost caress the bottles in the racks. With each rack he dismissed, Helen began to worry Nikola might not find the prize. She needn't have doubted him because she felt her breath hitch as he rounded the corner towards the 1900's rack. Here we go…

"Helen, that's never the bottle of Chateau Margaux we drank in Vienna that spring, is it?" Nikola innocently asked knowing the answer she would give.

"Why Nikola you're the genius, you figure it out!"

"Ha – don't give me that glib answer, Miss Magnus. I know for a fact there were two bottles from that memorable evening and I always wondered to where the second one disappeared."

"Well now, Nikola you have your answer!" Helen grinned cheekily at him.

XxxxxxxxxOOOxxxxxxxxxxxX

Why Helen?" Nikola asked her much later.

"Whyever not? I know how much you've missed the old cellar. There's also a small laboratory tucked away in the back for your use. I also figured you'd like a place you can retreat to when things get too much once our little one has entered the world." Helen told him with a smile glancing down as he placed his hand lovingly on her ever expanding tummy. "And don't tell me you won't need to because I distinctly remember your disgust at the birth of Henry's little girl."

Nikola shuddered at the memory of that birth. He never wanted to see Helen in that much pain, ever! He was shocked by the whole experience. He had been relieved when shortly after the birth Erika seemed to forget the pain. Nikola sincerely hoped that would be the case when it came to Helen's turn!

"It wasn't disgust, Helen. That was pure fear. I never want to see you in that much pain. Not when I can't do anything to prevent it."

"Aw, Nikola it's just part of the whole birth experience. Believe me when I tell you this I won't feel a thing once our baby is placed in my arms. It will all be forgotten. I'll be too happy."

Satisfied, Nikola pulled Helen into a hug and felt the remnants of his nightmare begin to fall away to nothing. As he kissed Helen he silently answered Druitt's taunt.

"_Oh John how wrong you were, Helen is mine and I am hers for all eternity."_


	2. Chapter 2

**This new chapter was born out of a lot of persuasion on the part of Tashah2109 and alwayssmilingsam. It was supposed to stay a oneshot but the girls…well what can I say? They can be very persuasive when they put their minds to it!huge thanks goes to Tashah2109 for her amazing beta-ing skills! So here is chapter two…enjoy!**

Three years later…

_It was dark once again. Nikola was finding it hard to focus such was the roaring in his ears. A method of distraction it would seem and it certainly seemed to be working. He felt in his bones he needed to get out of here, wherever here was, he just couldn't remember why. The fog was dense, so dense that you could it with a knife. Whomever or whatever was causing the distraction was a mystery to Nikola. He hated mysteries. It meant there were things outside of his realm of control and he disliked that above all else. There were only a few in this world who knew him completely and so would know of his hatred of mysteries and he could count them on one hand. The only person who was his friend and his rival in equal measure was John. Yes it all made sense now. John loved to play games. His favourite being hide and seek; a game he perfected as The Ripper. A game he tortured poor James with on a daily basis when Ripper mania was at its height and it seems it still remains his preferred method of torture today._

Nikola awoke wrapped in the comfort of Helen's arms and instantly his rapidly beating heart slowed to its normal pace. He would be forever grateful to whatever deity brought this angel into his life because without her his life would be anchorless. This he knew with absolute certainty and he keenly felt it now in the dim early morning light. It had been five years since the destruction of the Old Sanctuary. Five years since his life was changed irrevocably by the arrival of Sophia Lily. He could never have imagined the amount of love he would have for such a small human being. She was everything. She completed what Nikola could now call his family. For the longest time he was adrift in the world, ever since his brother's death. He blamed himself for Dane's death and so cut himself off emotionally from his family and the world until one day a vision in crimson waltzed into his life and he never let go. And now it seemed there was another woman in his life to whom he was putty in their hands. Bloody hell did that girl know how to turn on the charm when she wanted to get her own way and unerringly got it! One look at those big sapphire eyes in such a tiny face and he was lost.

Thoughts of Sophia Lily brought forth the memory of her birth and the promise he made to her as he cradled her in his arms for the first time with Helen asleep in an exhausted slumber. As long as he drew breath he would never let any harm come to her or her darling mother. With these thoughts came the niggling feeling that something very wrong was about to occur and for a nanosecond his heart stopped as he feared Sophia Lily's life may be in danger. To assuage his fear Nikola left the comfort of Helen's arms and went down the short hallway to their daughter's bedroom. Peering in the doorway Nikola breathed a sigh of relief at seeing her lying there but that relief was shortly replaced with a frown as he watched his daughter wear a matching frown and thrashing around in her bed. As Nikola stood beside her bed he gently placed a hand over her heart. This action seemed to calm the poor child and she soon settled into a deep sleep once more. Nikola, however, was restless after seeing his child in distress and so sat himself down in the armchair placed by the window to watch over his daughter in her slumber for fear her nightmares would reoccur. He fervently hoped they were nothing like his nightmares of late…

"_But Papa says I'm not to go with strangers…"_

"_Oh little one I'm not a stranger to your Mama and Papa we're old friends. You don't want to disappoint them now do you by being rude to a family friend?"_

_Sophia Lily bit her lip in indecision. She had always been warned by Papa never to go with any one she didn't know and she did not know this bald scary man. But he said he was a friend of Mama and Papa's…Maybe it was ok. In a moment she nodded her head and with a smile of triumph the bald man whisked her away in a bright red light._

Sophia Lily woke up with tears streaming down her face. She needed her Papa. Luckily she found him asleep in her room. She crossed the room quickly and crawled into her Papa's lap and sticking her thumb into her mouth in comfort she fell off into a dreamless sleep where the bald man could not take her away.

Later that morning, Helen found them tucked up together on the armchair. They made such a pretty picture she was afraid to disturb them but disturb them she must as she needed Nikola's help this morning with the conference call to Will, Henry and the other Sanctuary Heads. There were rumours abound that a powerful Abnormal was on the loose and intent on making its presence known and it would seem a nuisance for Helen . They may have to track it down. Leaving Capri may prove dangerous for them all as Helen was still in hiding. It was a trip she really wished they did not have to take but it may be the only reasonable option left open to them and one she knew they could pull off but how was she going to convince both Nikola and her daughter that a separation was needed? They were inseparable. It would be like cutting off their right hands. She going to have to be firm and stick to her resolve. This separation was needed for the good of the community being terrorised by this new Abnormal. Surely Nikola would see that.

"No! Absolutely not! I'm not leaving Sophia Lily with some babysitter so we can go traipsing after this so called powerful Abnormal. Not a chance in hell!"

Helen was surprised by the strength of Nikola's feelings on the matter. She had thought he might be rational and see the problem as a whole but where Sophia Lily was concerned his rational mind took a back seat. Not that Helen herself wasn't concerned about her daughter's welfare but she had been through parenthood before and knew when she had to let go of her fears and trust that her daughter would come to no harm if she was not with her around the clock. Besides what harm could Sophia Lily come to while staying with Henry, Erica and their little girl?

"Nikola, what is really the matter? You've been restless these past couple of months. In fact I would say it has been ever since Sophia Lily began having nightmares. Is that it? You know it's natural for a child to have nightmares it's their way of processing information garnered from their daily events."

"Yes it's the nightmares to a certain extent…"

"What in heaven's name does that mean?"

"Helen, I think…"

"Yes?"

"I think that…" Nikola chewed his lip much in the same way as Sophia Lily does when faced with a problem she doesn't know how to fix.

"Nikola…spill it you're starting to worry me."

"I don't know I just have this feeling that something might happen to our daughter if we leave her now." Nikola half told the truth. He wasn't ready to voice his real suspicions about his fear to Helen just yet. He really didn't know how she was going to react to the mention of John again. Either way he knew she was not going to like what he had to say.

Nikola began pacing up and down, dragging his hand through his hair making it stand up even straighter on his head. He really didn't know how to begin to tell Helen that he suspected that John was terrorising their daughter in her sleep but he knew he must tell her and only the absolute truth would do.

Nikola took hold of Helen's hands and drew a breath before speaking. "Helen, do you remember when we arrived here in Capri? And we were so happy awaiting Sophia Lily's arrival. That was also the time I began having nightmares."

"Where is this going, Nikola? Please tell me…" Nikola was really starting to worry her. What on earth did he fear so much that he couldn't even put into words?

"Helen, in those nightmares there was a central theme. I could never find you and always there was someone preventing from getting to you. Helen, that someone was John.

"No, Nikola, no!"

"Yes, Helen I think John is alive and has found a way to get inside my head."

"Do you really believe John has another facet to his power after all this time? Nikola, I was there the day he helped me travel back to 1898 London, there is no way he survived that surge of power!"

"I know Helen, I know! But he is back, in whatever form he's back!"

"How, Nikola, how can you be so certain he's back? You've only had nightmares! You haven't seen him physically so they're just nightmares, a figment of your imagination."

Nikola slumped his shoulders in resignation. He looked up with sad eyes because he knew how the next part of his tale was going to hurt her. It will cut her to the quick he was certain and he would do anything to shield her from all the pain but there was nothing to be done but to tell her.

"Oh Helen how I wish that were the case. But I'm afraid it's not my imagination run wild. This morning when Sophia Lily climbed into my lap she began whimpered and talking in her sleep. Every now and then I'd understand a word or two. Helen, she was talking about a scary bald man taking her away."

"NO! Nikola he can't be, he wouldn't…would he? Please….no…not my little girl!" Helen's knees buckled so fast Nikola barely had time to catch her before she fell to the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again, I know it's a few days early but Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all enjoy yourselves over the Christmas break :D Once again a big thank you to Tashah2109 for the quick beta work on this chapter! Hope you all enjoy this. Xo**

Helen was sitting alone in her lab wallowing in self-pity, something she never did and something she would never even contemplate had it not been centred on her beautiful daughter's safety and her lack of ability to protect her family when they needed her most. She could do no wrong when it came to high pressure situations and she could see beyond the immediate threat to focus on the long term goal. With regard to her family however, she was a bit blindsided and loathed the feeling. Feeling helpless did not even enter the Helen Magnus handbook! Damn John Druitt to Hell! How dare he dredge up a loss so profound she had buried deep within and refused to think on it lest it overwhelm her completely?! Ashley was a touchy subject even with Nikola and he knew better than to speak to her on the day she chose for her daughter's remembrance. Trust John to choose that particular day to invade their lives once again. The motive; she was certain was more to do with making her feel the loss he keenly still felt. Seething with anger she stabbed at the keys on her laptop in an effort to exorcise the rage that had suddenly taken hold. Why must he do this now? Surely he knows how keenly she feels Ashley's loss to this day? Couldn't he see beyond his pain and recognise that you could still make a life and feel happy after Ashley's passing? No. She supposed he couldn't because he had no one in his life to focus on anymore since she cut herself out of his entirely. The Cabal incident still rankled because despite knowing revenge was never achieved through bloodshed; she still felt a thrill at knowing John had defended his daughter's legacy in such a way. Her moral code would not let her conscience rest on this issue and Helen was forever finding ways to appease her guilt whether it was by doing good deeds or simply being there for Henry, each passing day her sense of guilt lessened somewhat. Her train of thought was disturbed by Nikola's abrupt entrance into her lab. Even before he'd opened his mouth Helen felt herself scowling at him and with good reason as it turned out.

"Helen, you've been hiding out in this lab for two days! You have to talk to me at some stage."

"There's nothing to discuss, Nikola."

"Right so we will just ignore the big elephant in the room shall we?"

"I hadn't noticed you'd gained a few pounds, Nikola. It suits you."

Helen tried her best at humour to deflect from the serious issue they both knew she was avoiding. The look on Nikola's face was priceless though and she couldn't help but giggle even if she felt like her world was turned upside down and she would never laugh again. That was the thing with Nikola; he was always great for providing her with unexpected mirth unintentional as it was.

Nikola continued to look at Helen askance unsure for a millisecond if she was being serious or not. The unabashed mirth hidden in the depths of her eyes gave the game away. He figured this out after he'd given himself a quick onceover for fear her statement had some truth to it. He had always prided himself on being lean and with hidden abs that Helen delighted in on a regular basis he made sure he kept in shape and it was for nothing if Helen was delighted with the outcome.

Seeing the smug look on Helen's face Nikola relaxed immediately and breathed a sigh of relief. For a millisecond there he was terrified and now all he felt was a little deflated. He could see what she was doing and it hurt. She was not ready to talk to him about her fainting spell and was cutting herself off until she got over her embarrassment. The solid brick wall she had put up during the years they had pretended not to care more for each other than they actually did was raised to its impressive height once again. She was not going to talk to him and it frightened him. When she had last gotten like this it was during the period when they didn't know what really happened to Ashley and her single-minded pursuit of the truth behind Ashley's disappearance and her grief fuelled quest to find her almost cost her her sanity and her dearly fought for friendships. She had pushed everyone away until Will had called her on it and woke her up to the fact that what she was doing was nothing short of crazy.

Reflecting on this period Nikola could now see the signs that she preparing to do battle for her other daughter and while it was endearing and he loved her for it he hated the fact that she had to do things her way and on her own. Her lack of trust in anyone to do an important task and her certainty that she was the only one capable of carrying out the job herself, frustrated him beyond belief! Sophia was his daughter too and he'd do anything to ensure her safety and the childlike innocence he adored in her. He feared that if she realised that 'the bald scary man' was real that that innocence would be gone forever. Sophia Lily had only ever known docile and caring Abnormals if John succeeded in his plan she would know there were nasty people in this world and Nikola wanted to spare Sophia that worldly knowledge until she was much older. She was too young to have her childhood naivety ripped out from under her feet.

Nikola sighed in resignation; he knew when to withdraw and when to fight another day. If and when Helen chose to let him in on her plans she would until then he would let her have it her way while at the same time keep a close eye on her without her knowing of course.

"Have it your way, Helen. Just know that this self defence mechanism you've got going on is wearing a little thin."

Helen's sense of triumph was cut short as she gazed open-mouthed after Nikola as he all but stormed out of her lab. Fine, she thought irrationally to herself let him wallow in his own mood she had enough to deal with here. She knew she was being irrationally and that the reason Nikola was frustrated was all done to her and yet she couldn't shake the bite of anger she felt at him walking out that door.

Hours later Helen tiredly rubbed her hand across her eyes and looked at her watch. Jumping out of her seat she realised she had worked right through Sophia Lily's bedtime she ran out of the lab and down the hall to Sophia's bedroom. She got there just in time to hear Nikola tell Sophia her bedtime story. "Once upon a time…" Sophia giggled and told Nikola she was too old for 'those' stories. Helen smiled as Nikola asked her what story she would like to hear.

"Can I hear about your adventures with Mama before I was born? Mama says they were so much fun and that you laughed a lot. But you're so serious now. Why aren't you smiling as much as you used to, Papa?"

From the hallway Helen's heart constricted in her chest as she waited with bated breath for Nikola's answer. Would he sugar coat his answer or tell their daughter the truth in such a way that a child of her age would understand? Her heart broke all over again as she heard Nikola's answer.

"One day I will tell you all about our adventures Sophia but there isn't time tonight. I'll tell you one story at a time, deal? Your mama has been busy with finding a cure for your nightmares, sweetheart. She's worried and so am I but know your nightmares won't last much longer if your Mama has anything to do with it. She always has an answer and you know she's always right."

Helen closed her eyes against the emotions that threatened to spill out and she sent up a silent prayer that she would find a solution and soon.

Watching her daughter sleep a little while later, Helen was struck with an idea, one she knew Nikola would rail against but she felt it was their only course of action in this case. She leaned over her daughter smoothed a stray blonde hair from her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. The sense of motherly pride that washed over her in that moment took her breath away and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would fight tooth and nail if need be to keep her daughter safe and happy and if that meant doing what she planned then so be it. She made her way down to the cellar trying to figure out a way to tell Nikola that would make him realise that it was the only way. Arming herself with their best bottle of Merlot and squaring her shoulders she entered the library where Nikola had stationed himself in front of a roaring fire with a glass of wine already in hand. As he looked up at her Helen felt her resolve start to slip but she soldiered on and began telling him of her plan.

"Are you completely out of your mind, Helen?! You do realise that if you get hurt in the process I may not be able to pull you out?"

"I know that Nikola but you must know that this is the only way. I know John more than anybody. I know the way his mind works. I can reason with him. Did you think for one minute that if you tried to talk to him he'd see reason and back down? No. He'd just see red and try to kill you or vice versa and I wouldn't want either of those to happen, do you hear me?! With me we have a chance of stopping this madness once and for all. For Sophia's sake I'm doing this so you're either in or your out. I need you here though Nikola. I need to know that Sophia's safe while I'm gone."

Nikola could see the determination in her eyes and knew there was no dissuading her so he nodded his consent knowing he may have given Helen permission to endanger her life.

Helen was going to meet John in his own playing field; his dream world. Their battle had only just begun with Helen's decision to face him one on one.


	4. Chapter 4

Helen opened her eyes and squinted at the bright light that was coming from the alcove in the corner of the room. As she focused her eyes a bit more she realised she recognised the furniture. It was her father's study! There was no possibility that her mind was playing tricks on her she had spent too many years studying within these four walls. Any second now she would nearly expect her father to walk through that door with his nose in a book talking to the air as if she were listening to him. Helen giggled at the memory. Yet why was she here? Helen's logical mind told her that it was a memory and the other more cynical part of her mind told her this was similar to the nano virus 'Adam Worth' of a few years ago- too similar almost like deja-vu, which meant that Helen's mind was going into overdrive. This was a trick of John's she was certain. It would be so like him to take her back to the days when they were happy together. He was creating a distraction. As she looked for signs of him she completely missed his shadow in the corner of the room so distracted was she in her search for him that she never thought to look in the most obvious of places.

John, for his part, seemed content to watch her search for him. She looked different from the last time he had seen her. Her face while it had never changed in all the time he had known her seemed to have fewer worry lines to mar her beautiful features. He was loathed to attribute this change to Tesla. Thoughts of Tesla with Helen drew him out. Anger always did.

"Hello Helen, it's so nice to see you again."

Helen swung around at the sound of his voice and narrowing her eyes she found him.

"Lurking are we, John? But it's a skill you've perfected over the years is it not?"

"Where are your manners Helen? I was being polite and sticking to the pleasantries. However if you'd much prefer to get down to business we shall." John spoke as he walked towards Helen.

Backing ever so slightly away from him Helen kept her eyes on him. She knew she must keep him calm or she could very well have an all-out fight on her hands and she was prepared to resort to that just yet.

"Tell me why you're here John?"

"We're here Helen because I thought this place would be a comfort to you." John dipped into a mock bow at his words.

"I never asked you why we were 'here' John. I asked you why you were here."

"Impatient as ever, my dear, if you must be so obtuse as to ignore the obvious I shall tell you. Ashley."

Though Helen had been expecting his answer it still didn't stop the start she felt when she heard his words.

"What in heaven's name has Ashley to do with any of this?"

"Everything!" John's face contorted in a fury Helen hadn't seen since the Ripper days. Again she felt the need to step back. Instead she fought that instinct and walked right up into his space.

"Intimidating me will get you nowhere, John as well you know."

Watching John gain control of his emotions once again helped Helen regain control of her own.

"Ashley should be here Helen and yet she is not and you are happy. How can you be happy when the reason for happiness is gone from this world? Have you forgotten her so quickly that you replace her with Tesla's child?"

"How dare you! How dare you assume I had forgotten our daughter. She was everything to me. She gave my life meaning and brought such happiness I dared not take for granted. So don't you dare take the high road with me John Druitt! Ashley is with me every day. I will never forget her nor shall Sophia ever take her place."

Helen was out of breath with temper when she finished speaking. Immediately she worried she had messed up her chance to save Sophia from further intrusions on her sleep. John's mind-set was precarious at the best of times and Helen feared her outburst would send him over the edge once more. But looking at him at the moment Helen felt he was calmer than he should be which led her to believe he had something else up his sleeve.

"My, my… don't we have a temper today, Miss Magnus. I assume you are here to deter me from my plans, am I right?"

John started chuckling when he saw the determined set of Helen's jaw indicating that he had hit a nerve of some sort. Helen could be so predictable at times. Put her family in danger and she will come out all guns blazing. Never get between a mother and her young.

"I don't like uninvited guests in my house."

"Tut, tut Helen and here I was thinking we were old friends. That is what I told Sophia and you don't want me to be a liar in the eyes of your daughter, now do you?"

"Indeed we were John; that is until you got it into your head to torture my daughter."

"That wasn't my original intention, Helen. I had planned to gain your attention before Sophia when I paid Tesla some nightly visits over the years. I had not counted on his stubbornness in not telling you about them."

"There are other ways of garnering my attention, John. If I remember correctly the last time you tried to achieve the same thing it did not end well for you."

Helen couldn't resist the small smirk that crept up on her face at the memory of their last one on one. The fact that she hand gotten the other hand then gave her the strength to goad him into revealing his purpose. She really wanted to know how he came to acquire the ability to enter into her subconscious. To do that, she must attack his ego. Thinking that she had the upper hand would drive him to regain his bruised pride.

"Care to go another round, Helen?"

"You did call me crazy the last time, John. Who am I to disappoint?"

Circling each other, they waited for the other to make the first move. When it seemed that neither was going to budge, John unleashed his knife.

"I said it once before and I'll say it again, Helen. There's only one way to get your attention."

With that he lunged forward aiming for Helen's throat. She deftly slid to the side and reacted with a punch of her own knocking him to the ground.

"You never learn, do you John. You seem to forget at every turn that I never was nor ever will be afraid of you!"

From the confines of Helen's lab Nikola looked down on Helen in the hospital bed and he was going crazy with worry. If he paced the floor any more he was sure he would wear the proverbial hole in it. When the monitor sounded an alarm yet again Nikola nearly lost what was left of his sanity. Helen had gone under a little over three hours and no sign of her coming out yet. Except for the occasional spike in her vital signs there was no indication of any activity whatsoever. Oh Helen, so help me if you manage to get yourself into harms way I swear I'll kill you myself!

**A/N: As always I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and much thanks goes to my ever patient beta Tashah2109 for the lightning fast beta on this!**


	5. Chapter 5

Helen's eyes were blazing as she looked down on the man beneath her. She had her hand wrapped around his throat in a stranglehold. With the emotions flowing through her it took a few seconds for the situation to sink in and as she spotted John's smirk, her eyes widened in shock and she leapt backwards breathing hard.

"I always knew you had in you Helen. You really wanted to harm me just then, didn't you?"

"I didn't…I couldn't…"

"Oh there's no need to deny it my dear, it was written all over your pretty face."

Inside Helen's emotions were swirling like a whirlpool. Oh dear God, where on earth did that come from? Never in her long life had she thought herself capable of killing in cold blood but with John just there, she had felt the need course through her veins like a fire she couldn't put out and it horrified her. She calmed herself before turning back to John to answer him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting under her skin. So she pulled her shoulders back and drew her confidence up from deep within and faced John once again.

"Oh you would dearly love that John wouldn't you? Knowing that you can make me lose my cool, well I'm sorry to disappoint you but today is not that day. I merely wished to show you that you do not have all the power here. Know that I am just as capable of besting you now as I have done before whether you remember that time or not!"

John was smiling that irritating smile again. How she'd dearly love to wipe off his face once more! However, Helen knew that if she did so she'd lose the advantage gained. She desperately needed to find a way of getting out of John's dreamworld for lack of a better description. How and when depended on John's cooperation or lack thereof. She also knew that to keep him sweet she had to pander to his ego somewhat regardless of her feelings of such a thing. And so she was going to try a different plan of attack. Honesty.

"John, may I ask how you intend on keeping me here? You can't keep me here indefinitely as my body will eventually begin to wake itself from this self-induced coma."

"Oh my dear Helen, I intend to keep you here until I get the answers I seek."

"And what, pray tell, are the questions to which you so desperately crave answers."

"Don't play smart, Helen. You know very well that which I am seeking."

"No John. That's just it I'm afraid I'm at a loss at this present time."

Helen inwardly cringed she couldn't help being antagonistic towards John as he had the audacity to try and keep her here. John, for his part, seemed to be enjoying this little tete a tete of theirs. He was thriving on it in fact. Time to burst his bubble. Helen was impatient to get back home.

"If you do not tell me how I might get back home I will resort to desperate measures John."

John's eyes blazed at her mention of 'home'. Helen didn't miss the slight change in him. At last we are getting close to the point of this little jaunt of his. She suspected it had a lot to do with the fact that Nikola Tesla was now a constant in her life and he had always resented their friendship. Even back at Oxford, Helen could tell that John was inwardly seething whenever she spent a little too much time in Nikola's company and those feeling had never really abated in all these years

"Desperate measures, you say. Why Helen are you sure you're not losing that infamous composure of yours?"

"This little visit of yours was never anything to do with Ashley was it? It was always about your jealousy of Nikola. I can see it now, your slow torture of him in his dreams, the way you invaded Sophia Lily's dreams. You, John Druitt are a very jealous man!"

Within seconds of Helen uttering those last words John had wrapped his hand around her throat and pinned her against the wall with his switchblade hovering over her carotid artery. Still Helen felt the need to goad him.

"It would be so easy for you to gut me now and be done with it but you won't will you? You love having the power in your hands. You and I are similar in that respect, I'll admit, we both hate to relinquish control. But I am not one of your whores, John. You may kill me now but there are too many memories in which I can haunt you and I'll promise you this I will find a way in this world or the next to keep haunting you until you let me be. Let me go John. Our time is in the past; don't sully it now by doing something you'll ultimately regret once the anger that grips your soul dissipates. Please…"

In the midst of her anger Helen had felt a bolt of empathy towards the man in front of her, he was being driven to the point of insanity again by the creature who had him in its grasp. She remembered a time gone by when they were everything to each other and so softened towards him ever so slightly and in the end she pleaded with the human part of him, she knew was buried deep but still existed. The evidence of it was in his actions since she had been brought here, she knew he cared by how angry he got when she mentioned Ashley again.

"Let me go…"

Helen watched as the anger left John's eyes. He turned and slumped against the wall his energy spent. Somehow she knew it wouldn't be long before she found her way home.

"Oh Helen I'm afraid I've deceived you. My hold on you here is precarious you could leave at any time should you so wish." John had said this with such a defeated air that Helen didn't have to heart to scold him or indeed interrupt his train of thought as it seemed he had almost forgotten she was there with him, his thoughts had turned inward. Helen's mind was turning over the possibility of leaving this place soon when John interrupted her reverie. Helen, for a moment, did not understand what it was that John had said that had broken through her thought until she had picked out the words…Praxis and portal. Sitting up a bit straighter Helen listened intently to what John had to impart.

"Do you remember Helen when you desperately followed Adam Worth back in time? I don't even think you spared a thought to what might have happened to me in Praxis, did you? You had a goal in mind and all else seemed to have been filtered out. Stop Worth at all costs. Do you realise that I'm paying one of those costs. I'm trapped Helen, trapped between our world and the next. Because of the Source Blood and the creature that has held me captive for so long I am neither dead nor am I alive. It's as if my soul was ripped from my body as the electrical current passed through it as I opened the portal for you. I'm assuming you can see me as I once was because that is how you remember me, however, I flit from body to body as needs must, it is how I am able to be here I somehow still have the ability to teleport even without a corporeal body, it also explains how I can enter your dreams through your subconscious. The reason you are in a drug induced coma is because you fought me as you dreamed whether you're aware or not you fought Helen. You instinctively knew how I was in Nikola's and Sophia Lily's dreams and no matter how much you wanted it to happen, you're very strong-willed. You are partly correct in your assumption that these 'trips' as you called them are not entirely about Ashley. Yes, I'll admit I am jealous of Nikola if only for the fact that he has you in his life but Helen, I must ask, I need your help. I can't go on in this existence, the torture is unbearable. Will you help me find a way to free myself of this pain? And if it should come to it, will you help end this existence if a solution is not found? I know I ask a lot but please Helen you are the only one to whom I can turn! Please?!"

Helen was in a state of utter shock she could do nothing but gape at John. She could not believe her ears. Had John just asked her to kill him if the time came? Could she do it? That was the next question that went through her mind. Would she have the strength to sever a connection with someone who for all intents and purposes had been in her life forever? As John's plea for help began to sink in Helen looked into his eyes one more time and saw the hurt and conviction buried deep within. If Helen didn't help him he would find another way and it was this thought that spurred her on to give him an impromptu answer; "yes."

**A/N: There you have it another chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it :) There won't be such a long wait for the next chapter I promise ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

Capri

Chapter 6

Slowly Helen opened her eyes. The light in the room making her squint her eyes and it took a moment or two for her to adjust. Within a matter of seconds Nikola was by her side.

"Oh thank God! I thought you'd never come out of there! It was the worst night of my life."

Helen tried to speak but found that her mouth felt like it had cotton balls stuffed inside. "Wat…water please."

Nikola gently lifted a glass of water to her parched lips and Helen slowly sipped the water until she had her fill. Helen turned her head to look at Nikola for the first time with clarity uttering her first concern, "how is Sophia? "

Nikola smiled fondly at her. "She's perfectly fine, Helen. She's just missing her mamma. Sophia will be delighted to see you awake. Shall I fetch her?"

Helen was afraid to speak. Her emotions were all over the place. She reined them in as much as she could and looking up she caught Nikola's eye and nodded, excitement building at the thought of seeing her daughter. She was a little nervous if she owned the truth. How in the world was she going to explain John's request to Nikola and their daughter?

Sophia ran into her mother's room all the while telling her mother about everything that had happened since she had been away sleeping. She and Papa told stories and she had found a way to sleep without her light on in her room anymore!

Laughing at her daughter's antics and her eagerness to tell her mamma everything in one breath, Helen lifted her daughter into her arms and held her close for a minute or two until Sophia began to protest that she could not breathe properly.

"Aren't you the brave little girl?! My, my how did you ever achieve that? No light? I am so proud of you, darling girl." Helen managed to say all this while showering her daughter in hugs and kisses making Sophia giggle when she blew loud raspberries on her tummy.

"You helped me, Mama. You could go into the dark in your dreams and that made me think I could do it too."

Helen sighed as a rush of pure emotion burst over her and she gathered her daughter to her once again in a fierce hug as Nikola watched from the doorway his eyes shining with unshed tears. Catching Nikola's eye Helen mouthed over her daughter's head, "Nikola, we need to talk."

"Uh, oh why do I feel like I'm not going to like this? You're not breaking up with me, are you? Nikola's attempt at brevity fell flat when he caught the look on Helen's face. "Oh heaven forbid! No that would never happen, Nikola."

"Good I am happy to hear it!"

"Sophia darling, why don't you go to your room and play awhile? Your papa and I need to have a grown up conversation."

"Yes, Mama. You'll come say goodnight to me tonight, won't you?"

It was seeing her daughter's distraught face at the thought that she might 'go asleep' again that broke through her last resolve about what to do with the plea John had given her. Helen would make it happen but it would not be for John's sake she would do it; it would be for her daughter and their future as a family all the while knowing that Nikola was going to hate her plan because it was for John. Shaking her head at the long standing largely unspoken but definitely implied feud between Nikola and John she turned her attention back to her daughter.

"Of course I will, sweetheart and I might even tell you a story for good measure, how does that sound?

"Ooooh! I like that plan, Mama. Thank you! Sophia skipped out of the room but not before garnering a kiss and a hug from both her parents and eliciting the promise of that bedtime story.

"I wasn't going to get away lightly was I?"

"Not in the slightest! Now are you going to tell me what has gotten you all serious? Or do I have to con it out of you in a more, shall we say, devious method?" This was accompanied by the slightest lift of Nikola's eyebrow that Helen couldn't help it when a girlish giggle escaped her.

"I'm still waiting…"

"John has made a request, Nikola."

"Now why does that not surprise me?"

"Yes, well his request may be a little difficult for you to swallow."

"Oh I knew I wouldn't like this", Nikola replied as he dropped into the chair by the window.

"Stop being childish, Nikola. This is serious", Helen handed him a glass of Merlot as she turned to seat herself in the chair opposite.

"Quit dancing around the issue, Helen and just tell me what he has demanded…sorry requested", Nikola replied tasting bile as he did so.

"He needs closure, Nikola. He needs to see Sophia for himself before he leaves this place for the last time. I think his wish has a lot to do with Ashley I think he wants to see if there's a resemblance."

"Absolutely not. There is no way I will even entertain the thought of him near our daughter. How could even contemplate letting that man near Sophia after everything he's put us through over the years?"

"Nikola, be reasonable. If we don't do it he'll be around for a lot longer, do you really want that. Don't you think we and he have suffered enough?"

"When you put it like that how can I refuse? Are you certain he'll be content to leave once he has seen Sophia?"

Helen stood and moved to kneel by Nikola's chair and smiling said, "I knew you'd see it my way after a fashion. To answer your question; definitely. He would not have asked me to help him cross over if he was not prepared to go forever."

ooOoo

All the while Sophia was playing with her dolls. A shadow passed over her and as she looked up she started.

"You're the scary man from my dreams. My papa is going to be mad that you're here, you know!"

John nodded amazed that this child was not in any way afraid of him. Although in hindsight considering her parentage it should not have shocked him.

"I am indeed the visitor from your dreams. Aren't you a little nervous?" John couldn't resist asking Sophia.

"No. Not anymore, Mama has fixed it so I don't have to be afraid."

"I hope so, Sophia, I hope so."

"Are you going away?"

"I think I may be, soon."

"Mama says it's nice where you're going. Heaven is a peaceful place."

ooOoo

"I'm going to see the local priest about this, Nikola. I don't know how to handle this sort of situation. Father Ryan will steer me in the right direction. I am sure he will be willing to help John."

"Helen. I have to ask. Since when have you known John Druitt to be a man of faith?"

"I never said I'd have John meet with Father Ryan. I know he would balk at such an idea. No, I simply want to get a few things straightened out that have been rolling around in my head since John made his request."

"If you must, Helen, you must. But I am not in the least bit happy about this situation."

"Objection duly noted."

Helen softened her teasing remark by leaning in and kissing Nikola's cheek.

"I shall be off within the hour. St Mary's is an hour's drive from here so do not expect me back until sometime tomorrow morning, alright?"

"Sophia and I will find something to occupy us while you're away. Just don't forget you promised her a story before you go."

Helen saw the twinkle in his eye and knew there would be trouble.

"Don't you two even think of blowing anything up, Nikola!"

"Who me? Never!"

"Nikola I am telling you if you so much as..."

"Oh don't you worry the house will be still standing when you get back. Or at least I hope so," Nikola whispered as he planted a swift kiss to Helen's cheek.

"What was that, Nikola?"

"Oh just that the house will be still standing."

"That's what I thought you said. I'm going to say goodnight to Sophia. I'll see you when I return."

Helen found herself humming as she made her way to Sophia's room. She stopped; however, as she came close to her room as she was sure she heard voices from within. Since when did Sophia have an imaginary friend? Or perhaps Sophia had snuck in Rover without permission. As Helen listened though she knew Sophia was speaking to someone else. Her blood ran cold as she recognised the voice.

"Oh dear God!"

Helen had wanted their meeting to be under her supervision but it seemed that John had bested her once again.


End file.
